


The Spectacular Quiet

by Islabubbles4



Category: Carry On Series - Rainbow Rowell
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fae, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Domestic Violence, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, First Kiss, Fluff, Happy Ending, M/M, Minor Character Death, True Love's Kiss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-20
Updated: 2020-02-20
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:55:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22821370
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Islabubbles4/pseuds/Islabubbles4
Summary: Simon came across a Fae when he was ten. He managed to escape without harm, but his father decides to train him up so one-day he can slay this creature. But once he gets to know this Fae named Baz, he realises that maybe he has it all wrong.
Relationships: Penelope Bunce/Shepard, Tyrannus Basilton "Baz" Pitch/Simon Snow
Comments: 12
Kudos: 109





	The Spectacular Quiet

**Author's Note:**

> This is massively inspired by this post from linkedsoul on Tumblr which i shall try to attach a link to bellow. Trust me, it is worth a read. My interpretation has nothing on theirs.  
> https://jessethejoyful.tumblr.com/post/177545453176/perseusjackson-sonoftheseagod-linkedsoul

**Simon:**

I was ten when I first met him. It was coming up to the harvest season, and preparations for the harvest celebration were underway. I had been told not to wander off, but I had always been bad at following instructions. Stupid, as my father put it.

I hadn’t wandered far, but the celebration was held at the edge of the wavering wood, and I had always been drawn to the forbidden forest. And then I came across it, the faerie ring.

As children, we had all been warned about the faerie ring, and the Fae who resided within it. Stories of women and children being kidnapped had made up the bedtime stories told to keep children in line. In fact, my own mother had supposedly been taken away by the Fae. We were told to never approach it, but if we did, to treat the Fae with respect, for he controlled the land that Watford rested upon. However, many treated these stories more as folklore, not fact. Only my father continued to be vigilant against the Fae, using his position as chief of the village to ensure these tales never died.

As I stumbled upon this ring, I had all the lessons taught by my father ingrained in my head. But I was still ill-prepared to face the creature within.

While all my animal instincts warned me to run away, curiosity won over, and I had approached the ring to inspect it further. It was surrounded by tall stones and an array of flowers of which I had never seen the likes of before. The sun shone through the clearing of the wood, lighting the ring from the inside. The birds seemed louder, the colours brighter, when looking upon this portal, this cage.

It was only when I was almost touching the boundary of the ring that he revealed himself to me.

‘Hello little one’, he said, startling me. I looked up and there he was, glowing in the sunlight. His skin was pale as snow, his eyes grey like the storms that threaten the crop, his hair blacker than the night itself. He smiled at me, no smirked, almost looking gleeful that he had shocked me, that he was scaring me. But I had been raised to never be a coward, so I bowed to him, which seemed to only add to his glee.

‘Polite, aren’t you, little one.’

I huff, frustrated, ‘That’s not my name!’

The Fae’s grin turned from delighted to deadly, and he towered to his full height. ‘If that is the case, will you give me your name?’

I opened my mouth to comply, but then remembered my father’s most desperate warning _: Never give a Fae your name, for names hold power_. Instead, I stood silent, trying to work out a way to politely decline, but the Fae got restless.

‘Come on, Little one, a name should not be so hard to remember. Are you stupid?’

His question made me flinch, as I remembered my father’s own disappointment. However, the Fae seemed to interpret this as fear of him, and he laughed (if it can be called a laugh).

‘I see, you can be afraid of me. Good, you are not too much of an idiot then.’

I looked up to face the Fae head on, and scowled, ‘I am not frightened by you!’

He smirked, and then suddenly moved so he is only centimetres from me, separated by a boundary of flowers. I flinched, but stood my ground, refusing to spend my life afraid of men. My heart was beating faster than it ever had, I felt sweat form at the back of my neck, but I met the stony gaze of the Fae, and asked, ‘If giving a name is so easy, why don’t you give me yours?’

The Fae laughed again, but this time in real amusement. He shook his head and backed away. ‘You are brave, little one. Idiotic but brave. I shall let you leave this place for now, but be warned, I am not to be trifled with.’

And with that, he vanished in a puff of black smoke.

I turned from the ring, shaken, and ran back home. My father was there, waiting for me. He raised his fist and hit me across the face for running off. He forced me to explain where I had been. He cuffed me again for not heeding his warnings. He turned and head to his study, but before shutting the door, he told me, ‘I will train you to slay that monster. This is war.’

***

**Simon:**

I haven’t been allowed near the wood ever since. True to his word, my father forced me to study what humans knew of the Fae, from their tricks to their weaknesses. He hired a soldier from the neighbouring town to train me with a sword so I could cut my enemies down. He introduced poisons into my body so I could become immune to the toxins the Fae used to seduce and hypnotise humans. However, despite all the lessons, my father could never turn me into a master of words. Intellect was the greatest weapon to face faeries, but I would always be too honest to a fault.

My training and position as son of the chief kept me separated from the other villagers. Many of our neighbours assume my father to be mad for how he has trained me, and for that I am scorned also. However, my salvation came in the form of two very different women. Penelope, my childhood friend who stands by me regardless of her mothers wishes, and Agatha. Agatha is everything I could ever want. She is polished where I am unrefined, she is gentle where I am brutish, she is soft where I am hard. She can be my salvation, and I tell her this every time we sneak of together, holding hands and sharing kisses.

Me and her are endgame. She is my ever after, once I have completed my father’s mission of killing the Fae in the woods. His head will be my wedding gift, I tell her one night. She scrunches her face in a way that is adorable and tells me off for being so barbaric, so obsessed with this Fae that she does not believe exists. However, it is on this night she also confesses to having looked for this creature in the woods. I can see by the glazed over expression on her face that she dreams of this a lot. She speaks of how she looked for him, dressed in her finest gown. But despite how she searched, he was never to be found. I warn her not to ever go looking for him again, for he is a trickster, but she just pushes me by the shoulder, saying he isn’t real anyway. I hate how she never believes me.

Agatha is my salvation. The love of my life. Everything I could ever want. But only after I face the Fae again.

My father hates that she is a distraction. He tells me to never forget my mission. But when I ask when I can finally face the Fae, he shouts at me for my impatience.

But I am happy, regardless, because me and Agatha can still be together in ways I cannot with another. ‘We are meant to be together’, I tell Penelope when she asks why I love her.

‘I love her because we are meant to be’.

‘Ohh Si,’ she responds, looking at me sadly. But she doesn’t understand. She is to marry another boy, Shephard, from a town across the county, when she turns 18. Only one year to wait, and she will be leaving me forever. Agatha is all I have left. And we are meant to be.

As the seasons begin to change, as autumn approaches once more, I am reminded once again that one day, I will have to face that Fae and kill him. I tell Penelope this, but she turns angry, as she always does when my mission is brought up.

‘But why, Simon?! Why must you kill this creature. Even if he exists, what harm is he doing up in the woods?’

‘Pen, he killed my mother! He tried to kidnap me years ago! He is a monster, and only when he is dead will we all be safe.’

Penelope scowls at me, but backs down. ‘Fine. Whatever, if you want to spend your time preparing to kill this Fae, that’s up to you. But you have to stop obsessing over him at some point and start your life.’

‘I have started my life…’ I defend weakly, but Penelope just gives me a look.

‘I know you don’t feel like you fit in here Simon. I know you love adventure and freedom far too much to ever fully be happy in Watford, but you cannot keep pretending that facing this creature is going to change that. If you were truly happy, I don’t think you would let your father continue to manipulate you.’

I sigh and shrug, unable to come up with a suitable counterpoint. I had learned to stay silent when unsure. All part of my training.

‘At least I have you and Agatha’, I finally say. But Penelope just gives me another pitying look.

***

**Simon:**

‘I can’t do this anymore, Simon’.

I stare at Agatha.

‘Simon…. Please, say something…’

My stomach drops as the words sink in, my vision goes blurry. God, am I going to faint?

‘Simon.. please.. don’t look at me like that.’

My tongue is heavy in my mouth, but I finally manage to speak. ‘Why, Agatha, why?’

She sighs. ‘Simon, I love you, just… just not like that anymore. I will admit, at the beginning I found your whole hero thing enticing, but its just sad now.’

‘Agatha..?’

She starts to look angry. Why is she angry when it’s my heart that’s being broken? ‘Simon, you have spent your whole life preparing to face an imaginary foe. Its pathetic. Everyone thinks so. I kept thinking you would grow out of it, but it’s always _fae this_ , _fae that_ and _don’t go into the woods_. I have had it.’

‘But-‘

‘No Simon. This is it. Rhys has proposed and I said yes. We are to marry in the Spring.’

I stop being able to listen to here. This can’t be happening. Why is she ruining what we have? Why? So I turn and run. I run away like I do from all my problems bar one. I run into the woods, I run to him. He who has taken everything from me. My mother. My reputation. My Agatha.

‘You!’ I shout as I approach the ring.

But he doesn’t show himself. So I continue to shout into the void.

‘How dare you take everything from me! My family was destroyed by you, my father’s reputation, even my Agatha left me!! ALL BECAUSE OF YOU!’

I am screaming so loudly, my throat hurts, but I can’t seem to stop.

‘IF ONLY YOU HAD NEVER COME HERE, EVERYTHING IN MY LIFE WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER. YOU ARE A MONSTER AND I WILL KILL YOU!!’

I keep shouting until my anger turns to bone deep remorse. Until I am sobbing, not shouting. Until I feel cleansed of all the ugly that has been weighing me down.

‘And yet I have a reputation for dramatics’ a voice makes out from above me.

I look up and there he is, in all his immaculate glory. God, he’s so beautiful, I hate him. No wonder Agatha wanted to find him.

‘Fuck you’, I croak, but this seems to only make him laugh.

‘Ohh, little one, how you have grown. Yet still not great with words I see. Hasn’t anybody ever told you to be careful to what you say to a Faerie?’

I scowl up at him, mad that he is still taller despite how I am almost an adult. ‘I hate you’, I say in a small petulant voice.

This only seems to make him more entertained. ‘Ohh these last few years really have been boring! I was waiting for you to return. They always return. But the restraint you have shown. Impressive. Although, I feel your little outburst has just made you seem more pathetic than anything else.’

‘I don’t care what you think.’

‘Come now, little one, its best not to lie. Now, prey tell me, what brought on the waterworks?’

I contemplate just walking away, leaving him behind. I think about what it would be like to just pretend I never was told I had to kill him. What a normal life would be like. But I’ve never been good at doing what I was told, so I open up to him.

‘I am just, so angry. I hate you, for everything you stand for, for everything you have done. I am angry that my father hates me, I am angry that this little village will never be enough for me, I am angry that the girl I love is now marrying another man, one who has never had to worry about the proper way to hold a sword, who has never been beaten by his father for getting a riddle wrong. And I am infuriated that no one seems to know you exist!’

I am out of breath by the time my rant is over. I inspect the Fae’s face, only to see him looking contemplative. ‘I have an offer for you then, little one. I will make the whole village acknowledge my existence, if you give me your name.’

I let out a breath and bite back on a chuckle. ‘Always back to being deceptive with you isn’t it.’

He looks a little offended, and bites back, ‘At least I am not honest to a fault.’

‘I’d rather be honest than a liar.’

‘Fae cannot lie.’

‘No, you only deceive, trick and entrap.’

‘I have never entrapped someone.’

‘You have, you took away my mother!’

The Fae looks surprised by this. ‘No, I didn’t. I don’t recall ever meeting a woman while locked here. In fact, you are the only human whom has ever stumbled across me.’ 

Now it is my turn to be surprised. Faeries cannot lie, yet this must be a trick. He must see my suspicion, for he holds up his hand and says, ‘I promise, little one, that I have never seen another human while tied to this place.’

‘I will only believe you if you give me your name.’

He looks me up and down, but sighs. ‘Fine, fine, I shan’t give you my name, but you can call me Baz.’

‘Baz…’ I repeat. No what I was expecting. At all. But it suits him. I smile, stretch out my hand so it is just at the ring’s boundary. ‘Nice to meet you Baz.’

He takes my hand and I let out a shocked breath when I feel how cold he is. ‘Nice to meet you..??’

‘No’

‘No?’ he responds with a raised eyebrow.

‘I won’t give you my name.’

He releases my hand, smirking as he states, ‘but you will, little one. One day, you will.’

***

**Simon:**

Once I get Baz’s name, its like a floodgate has opened and all I can think about is him. Not killing him like before, but how he looked genuinely surprised by my accusations, how his hands were so cold, how his beauty is beyond what any human could imagine.

I stop avoiding the forest like I did before and begin to seek Baz out. I go to the ring most days, and I sit by the boundary and talk to him.

He’s funny. Funny in a way no one else is. And he’s curious. So curious about what life at the village is like, what we learn in school. He avoids asking personal questions after the first few times he does and I shut down completely. But over time, we begin to form a sort of truce.

‘Okay, so are you, like, stuck in this ring?’ I ask him one morning.

He meets my eyes. ‘Little one, I will answer a personal question for everyone you answer.’

I splutter out, ‘That is NOT a personal question.’ But he just shakes his head with his trademark smirk spread across his face. ‘Fine, but promise.’

‘I, Baz of the Fae, promise that for every questioned answered, you shall receive an answer from me.’

‘Okay, then ask away. Though I won’t give you my name.’

He smiles, but then his expression turns more serious. ‘Who is Agatha?’

I want to not answer. I want to shut him out. But I am also so curious about him. ‘Agatha is a girl in my village.’

He growls when he realises this is all I am going to say, but then lets out a small chuckle. ‘Okay, fine, if that’s how you want to play it. Yes, I am obviously stuck in this ring, little one.’

‘Can you not leave? Even to go to the Faerie kingdom?’

‘You must answer another of my questions first. How did Agatha break your heart?’

‘Aggie…. Aggie accepted the proposal of another man.’

‘I cannot leave this ring, even to go to a Faerie kingdom. It is not a portal as many are, but a cage.’

‘How do you eat? Wait, sorry, your question first.’

He smiles softly at me and my heart skips a beat. ‘Did you love her?’

‘Yes.’

‘I am an immortal being, so I cannot die. But this does not mean I cannot feel hunger. Do you still love her?’

My mind I still stuck on the fact that he has been here starving for so long that I miss the question. Instead, I reach into my pocket and bring out some bread I had saved for lunch. I try to hand it over to me, but he just stares at my hand. ‘Take it, Baz.’ He looks shocked, but he finally accepts the food, and something settles in me. I know that I will make sure to bring him food from now on.

‘Thank you, little one. Now, answer my question. Do you still love her?’

‘i… I don’t know. I think I do… in a way, but honestly she was my ever-after, so its only the promised future that I miss really.’

Baz nods at me.

‘So, how come your trapped here?’

‘I was cursed. Why does your father hit you?’

This one surprises me. But I let out a bitter laugh. ‘Because he wishes I were smarter. He has always wished for a better son.’

‘Well, he is an idiot if he cannot see you for all you are.’

I meet Baz’s eyes, my heart thumping loudly at his kind words. Who would have thought, the Fae of my nightmares was soft. ‘Thank you, Baz. I’m sorry you are trapped here. But who cursed you?’

‘I don’t know who he was, but this man tried to kill me. He enlisted the help of a mage, but instead of killing me, he cursed me to be trapped here forever.’

‘But there must be a way to set you free?’

Baz just shrugs, an action that looks so out of place on this immortal creature that it breaks my heart further.

‘Baz…’ But I have no idea what to say. So instead I reach out into the ring and squeeze his hand. ‘We will find I way to set you free. I promise.’ 

And then he disappears.

***

**Baz:**

He’s so beautiful. He wants to help _me_ and he is so beautiful. I am screwed.

***

**Simon:**

I don’t tell anyone about Baz. Not even Penelope. I know its dangerous and foolish, but I just don’t want to share him with anybody else. Not until I know he is safe, of course. To protect them.

I know any other time, both Penelope and Agatha would have been suspicious of my disappearances, but with both their weddings being organised, they are too busy for me. I know I should at least be happy for Pen, but I can’t help the bitterness that fills me every time I see her and Shephard together.

Agatha and I are still on bad terms. I haven’t been able to forgive her from moving on so quickly, even if I agree that we are better off friends than romantically involved. She never believed Baz was real anyway. I’m not sure why that is such an issue now, but I almost feel offended on Baz’s behalf.

Agatha and Penny decide on a joint wedding. I’m surprised Aggie is willing to share the spotlight, but with the village’s recent financial struggles, perhaps its so she can have a more elaborate affair.

I’m so busy in visiting Baz, making sure he eats everyday and regains more colour in his skin, that I hardly notice the wedding approaching. However, when the day arrives, I’m filled with dread. How am I supposed to celebrate my supposed future bride and best friend getting married when it means both of them will be further removed from my life. Pen is even moving, although the other village is only an hour walk away.

I manage to survive the wedding ceremony, smiling and pretending to be happy, and soon I am actually able to be happy for them both. They truly found a place to belong, and my jealousy has no place on this day. I feel proud that I’m able to swallow my own feelings effectively. Well, that is until I see Agatha kissing Rhys at the party held afterwards. I realise that was supposed to be me. It was meant to be me and Agatha. Its not my fault that father won’t let me marry until Baz is dead, which, realistically, is never going to happen. I think I would refuse to kill him now. I feel angry that me and Baz aren’t ever going to be left alone by him, that I will never be allowed my happily ever after.

I realise that my mood is probably going to bring down the general merriment around, so I quickly give my farewells to both, equally confused brides, and go to where I feel most at home. I go to Baz.

He is already near the boundary of the ring, as if he knew I would be seeing him tonight. He probably did, with his super-human brain. And the fact that I’ve been dreading this event these past few days and haven’t shut up about it.

‘Hey Little one.’

‘Hi Baz.’

He takes in my mood. ‘Do you want to talk about it?’

‘No.’

‘Okay.’

We sit in silence for a moment, but then I feel my mouth begin to run. ‘Its just, its so unfair. They all get to just start their lives, but I’m forced to train for a fight that is never going to happen.’

Baz raises an eyebrow. ‘What, you mean to say you aren’t even going to try and kill me. How disappointing.’

I scowl at him, but confess ‘I hate that I can’t have a normal life.’

‘You don’t want a normal life.’

‘How do you know that?’

‘Because then, little one, you wouldn’t be seeing me everyday. I would not be your escape. You would have asked this woman to marry you. You are stubborn to a fault. You would never truly let another decide your life for you.’

‘You make me sound brave. I’m not brave.’

‘Yes you are. You are my brave idiot.’

I look into Baz’s eyes, and my breathe hitches at the soft smile he gives me. He thinks I’m his. Well, is he really wrong when I have spent my whole life focusing on who he is, how to best him. 

‘You know, you will still be able to see them.’ He continues.

‘Yeah, but it’s different.’

‘Humans are so confusing.’

I smile at this. I really forget he is Fae sometimes. Well, not when I am looking at him. His ethereal beauty is the real deal.

‘Thank you, Baz. For listening.’

‘Its alright, Little one. Not like I have anything else to do.’

I scowl at this. ‘I promise, we will find a way to set you free. I’ve already started looking through my father’s books. I’m sure I will come across something helpful eventually.’

‘I am sure you will. You are too stubborn to give up even an impossible task.’

‘I mean, are you sure you don’t remember anything?’

‘No, I would have told you by now.’

‘How can I trust that?’

‘Because I trust you.’

I feel my cheeks flush, and look anywhere that isn’t him. ‘I… I bet- I should go. I – home. I’m probably expected to be home soon.’ I get up quickly and begin to make my way home.

‘Sweet dreams, little one.’ I hear Baz whisper. His soft voice haunts my dreams that night.

***

**Simon:**

Its been months, but I still visit him daily. It’s the only thing that can keep me sane now Penelope has gone, and Agatha married.

‘Where do you go when you vanish?’

‘I don’t know. Its hard to explain, I just sort of stop existing on this plane for a bit.’

‘Okayy….’

‘Why does your father think I am so much a threat he is willing to train you for years with sword fighting. Doesn’t he understand that Fae are so superior in strength that even metal will not kill us?’

I laugh a little. ‘That’s my father. Obsessed with useless training.’ God, Penelope was right all along, I need to stop letting him manipulate and rule my life. ‘Why did you try to take my name when I was a child?’

‘I was bored. Why –‘

‘You were _bored_! Baz, that was an arsehole move. If you hadn’t threatened that, my father might not have made me train to become some sort of Fae-killer.’

‘Do _not_ blame you're father’s antics on me.’ Baz looks genuinely annoyed by this.

‘Yeah, sorry, sorry, you're right. He would have probably anyway. But why are you so obsessed with it?’

‘Why won’t you tell me your name?’

‘Because I cannot trust you with it yet.’

‘Because I want to know what to call you.’

‘You seem happy calling me Little one.’

‘You don’t’

‘No Baz,’ I say between chuckles, ‘I, an almost grown man, do not appreciate being called _Little one_.’ 

‘Then what should I call you?’

‘You can call me Si.’

‘Sigh??’

‘No, S. I. Si.’

‘Okay, Si.’

We both just grin at one another for a moment, until I remember I have to be going. Father gets suspicious when I am late.

‘Baz, I’ve gotta get going. I’ll see you tomorrow.’

‘Yeah, alright, bye Si.’

I hate having to leave this safe haven we’ve built. I hate leaving him.

***

**Baz:**

He said _yet_. He doesn’t trust me _yet_. But he thinks he will. God, I think I love that idiot.

***

**Simon:**

‘Father I promised Penelope I would help her move into her new house. You can’t just keep me locked in here all day!’

‘Simon, you live under _my_ roof, you are _my_ son, you do as _I_ say, and if I say you need to read this manuscript I have spent _months_ finding in order to understand how you are going to kill our enemy, by god, you will do it!’

God, he is angry, his face purple with shouting, his fist twitching with the desire to strike. But I have been learning to be strong. Baz makes me strong. And I try to fight my own desire to stand up for myself, but why should I? I am so used to his violent ways, he can’t hurt me like he used to.

‘I don’t understand why you are so obsessed with killing him!’ I shout in response.

His reaction is instantaneous. His face drains of all its colour, he stops shaking, and stands, deadly calm, glaring at me. ‘What did you say boy?’

I fight the shiver of fear that threatens to spread and stand my ground. ‘I said, I don’t understand your obsession with killing Fae. No one but you even thinks they exist. And what harm is he doing in the wood, isolated.’

I see him fighting back whatever violent words he wants to spit in my face and continue.

‘My whole life you have made me train, isolating me from everything else, all so I could what? Fight your imaginary nightmares, slay the beast, be the hero. There is no beast, there never has been. The only beast is you.’

He lunges forward and hits me with enough force to knock me back, my head hitting the wall, knocking off one of the few pictures that hang in the house. He towers over me, shouting ‘Does your mothers death mean nothing to you!! After she brought you into this world, this is the thanks you give her. You give us.’

I feel something wet at the back of my head. Huh, am I bleeding?

‘ANSWER ME BOY!’ Father yells.

I’m done. I am over this abuse. I don’t care what he says, I can make a living elsewhere. I am lovable. I have Penelope, Baz. I can leave him. I level him with my hardest glare. ‘Baz would _never_ do such a thing.’

I wish I saw his fist coming, but all I remember is trying to get past him, and then nothing.

***

**Baz:**

Where is that idiot?

***

**Simon:**

***

**Davy (The Chief):**

I’m going to kill him for Simon. I knew I should never have trusted my son. He was always too soft. I will rid the world of this monster once and for all.

***

**Simon:**

I wake to a pounding headache. It takes a while to get adjusted to my surroundings. I quickly recognise I’m in my bedroom. But something feels off. I go to hold my pounding head but notice I can’t. Huh? Why are my hands tied?

And then it starts to come back to me. The fight. Fuck, I said Baz’s name. Shit shit shit shit, he knows. Father knows I’ve been spending time with Baz. Fuck.

I try to stand up, but notice I’ve been tied to my chair. I have to break free. I have to warn Baz. Shit.

I know I’m panicking. But I can’t let the fear that Baz might be hurt stop me from thinking. _God, use your head!_ I take a calming breath, like Baz taught me, and take in my surroundings. I know I always leave a knife in my room in case of a night attack. It has been a while since I felt the need to check it, but it should be by my bed. I shuffle forward, dragging the chair with me, being careful not to fall forward. I reach my bed, and see the glint of my sword, but its under the loose floorboard.

_No Simon. Think._

I realise I need to be able to reach the floor with my hands, so I knock my chair sideways, hitting the floor with a loud thud. I scuttle forward so my hands can reach and left the floorboard, and then grab the knife.

_What now? Think._

I position the knife between two floorboards, so it is sticking up, and then carefully try to cut the rope tying my hands. However, the knife just falls.

_Fuck._

I try again and again, getting more worked up. But each time, the knife falls over.

 _Fuck, please please_.

I’m not sure how long I try this, but it’s getting darker outside and I’m about to loose hope when I hear a knock on the front door.

‘Simon? You home?’ I recognise Penelope’s voice.

‘Pen? PEN! UPSTAIRS. HELP.’

When I hear her heavy footsteps on the stairs, I know I am saved.

‘SIMON?!’

She barges into my room, takes in my appearance, and immediately unties me.

‘Simon, what on earth happened? How did you end up tied up? My god, what happened to your head?’

She looks like she is about to cry, but I have no time to reassure her. Baz needs me more. ‘I’m so sorry Pen, but I have to go help Baz.’

‘Baz? Who is Baz?’

‘The Fae. His name is Baz. Well, that’s more a nickname. But, I have to go help him. Fathers – Fathers gone to kill him.’

I begin to make my way out the house, popping into the study to pick up my sword.

‘But Simon, didn’t you want to kill him?’

‘I did, but I don’t anymore. I care about him, Pen. I think I really care about him.’

Pen halts me just outside of the main door, looking me in the eyes. ‘Okay then, but I am coming with you. If, if Davy did this to you, I want to be there for support.’ I notice she still has my knife, and I know she is as stubborn as I am, so I nod, not wanting to waste more time.

Luckily the moon is out tonight and is bright enough to help me lead the way to the faerie ring. To Baz.

As we get closer, I begin to hear shouting.

‘--- ed her! And now you have seduced him.’

‘I did not seduce him!’

‘He may be an idiot, but I AM NOT.’

‘HE IS NOT AN IDIOT!! HE IS SMART, BRAVE, CARI-‘

‘Don’t pretend you care. I am going to kill you as soon as I find a way to get through this blasted ring!’

Finally, the two men come into sight, and I see Baz standing in the middle of the ring, with father waving a sword, trying to reach hit him unsuccessfully through the barrier. In fact, the barrier of the ring stops even the sword entering _. But I never had any difficulty in shaking hands with Baz_.

‘Father STOP!’ I shout, and he looks up, surprised to see me.

‘S- Boy, I thought I had dealt with you.’

Penelope steps out from the woods behind me, and father smirks. ‘I should have know you would be responsible for this.’

I look over Baz, to see if he is hurt in anyway, but he looks passed me to Pen. ‘Penelope, nice to make your acquaintance.’

 _Shit, I never considered keeping their names secret too_.

But Pen just looks shocked that Baz is real. She takes in his appearance, his superior looks, his significant stature, and I turn back to Baz, looking at him through another’s eyes. He truly is gorgeous.

‘You must be Baz.’ Pen answers. Their dismissal of Father’s presence on fuels his anger, and he steps towards us, sword raised.

‘Son, it is time. You can kill him. You must kill him.’

‘No.’

‘No?’

‘No, father, I refuse.’

He charges at me, sword raised, but I am quicker, better trained, and I expertly disarm him, knocking him to the floor.

‘Enough, father.’

He lunges up at me again, but I push him back down.

‘Enough.’

He goes still, and with Penelope watching over him carefully, I step back and make my way over to Baz.

‘Baz? Baz are you hurt in anyway?’

Baz shakes his head. ‘I’m fine Si. But I know him. Your father. He’s the man who cursed me.’

I turn in shock to my Father. ‘Is this true? Are you responsible for Baz’s entrapment?’

Davy laughs on the floor. ‘Yes, Son. I managed to entrap an all mighty Fae.’

‘Why?’

‘WHY?! BECAUSE THEIR KIND TOOK YOUR MOTHER AWAY FROM US!’

‘Baz never did that!’

‘No, but his mother did. His mother took your mum, my Lucy away.’

‘But, why?’

‘Because that is what Fae do. They steal, they lie, they kill.’

I turn to Baz, but I see a look of understanding on his face. ‘Baz..? Is that true? Is your mother responsible for the death of my own?’

Baz takes a step forward, but shakes his head. ‘No, Si, no she never harmed your mother. I remember her. She was brought to our home after a complicated childbirth. She was bleeding too much, and my mother tried to heal her. But the damage was too great. I’m so sorry Si. There was nothing she could do.’

‘LIES’ my father shrieks from behind, lunging up, but the ring’s forcefield pushes him back.

I turn on my father, and point the sword to his neck. ‘Davy, you will tell me exactly how to break the curse you have put on Baz, or I will have to kill you.’ Pen and Baz look on me in shock, but my father just laughs.

‘The curse is unbreakable boy. You ever wander why only you and I seem to be able to visit this monster. Because the curse forbade any other human, unless in the company of one of us, from finding the monster in the first place.’

‘All curses can be broken’, says Penelope quietly.

But Father just laughs. ‘Not this one. No, for this curse to break, the impossible would have to have happened.’

‘Wha-‘

But Father lunges again, knocking my sword from his neck with one hand, wielding a dagger in the other. He surges towards me, but I am quicker, and swing the sword down on him. He crumbles to my feet.

Once I am hit with the realisation of what I have done, I begin to cry, dropping the bloodied sword on the floor.

‘Si..’ I hear from behind, so I turn, and run into Baz’s arms, getting past the ring’s boundary with no difficulty. I hold onto Baz as if he is a lifeline, as if he can save me. As if I can save him now this captor is dead. God, I killed my own father.

I feel Baz gently caress my hair, whispering ‘Everything will be alright, love. I promise, we will get through this.’ And I sob harder, breaking down in the arms of the man I love.

Because I love him.

 _I, Simon, love Baz_.

I love Baz.

I pull back a little from his embrace, I look into his grey eyes, and I stop thinking.

***

**Baz:**

Si is kissing me.

***

**Simon:**

It starts as a gentle caress on the lips, but when Baz responds by opening his mouth, I cannot help but groan in response, opening my own mouth further as we have a battle of tongues.

God his lips are so cold. But so soft. I reach out with my hands and run them through his hair. God, its so silky. I pull a little on the strands, and Baz whimpers. I made him whimper!

And I realise this is where I like him best, under my fingers. Not in an isolated cage.

This kiss is a promise. A promise that I will set him free. A promise that I love him. A promise that he is not, and will never be, a monster.

***

**Penelope:**

I’m not sure whether to tell them that the barrier around the ring has broken. I’m not sure I could interrupt them if I tried.

***

**Simon:**

I finally untangle myself from Baz’s embrace. I smile at him as he regards me softly. His hair is a mess, his pupils blown and his lips swollen. _I did that_. I hold out my hand to him, and he takes it, eyebrow raised. 

‘Hi, my name is Simon. I am in love with you.’

Baz’s eyes widen. But I trust him, with my name, with my life, with my future. He slowly begins to shake my hand. ‘Hi Simon, nice to meet you. My name is Tyrannus, and I too am in love with you.’

I begin to giggle. ‘What a stupid name,’ I get out.

He lets out a bark of laughter, before pulling me back against his chest and kisses me deeply.

‘A-hem, boys.’

We break apart, and I turn to face Pen with a guilty expression, only to be reminded of our predicament. Right, I just killed my father and Baz may be trapped in this tiny circle for eternity. Great. I turn to see Baz’s expression, but notice his expression of wonder. I turn back again, and notice that the flowers surrounding the ring have all wilted. _That cannot mean…?_

Baz steps out from my embrace and moves forward, and keeps going, until he is completely out of the ring.

‘Y-your- Your Free!’ I jump in glee and rush back into Baz’s arms, kissing him in celebration. 

He holds onto me tightly. ‘Yes love, I am free.’

‘But how?’

‘True love’s kiss can break most curses’ Penelope states. ‘No wonder Davy thought it impossible to break when he believed Fae could never love or be loved.’

‘Why did I never think to enlist your help in setting B- Tyrannus free?’

‘I agree,’ Baz states, ‘why didn’t you? Also, just call me Baz, love.’

Penelope smirks at us, ‘Well I am the brains of any Simon operation bac in the village.’

I begin to protest, but Penelope is right. I was foolish to think I could handle this alone.

But Baz has become an expert in interpreting my moods. ‘Don’t love. You were doing it to protect her, to protect me. Don’t blame yourself.’

I smile back up to him and take his hand.

He is free.

I am free.

We can finally start our lives.

And isn’t that terrifying.

**Author's Note:**

> I know its messy and unrefined. I would love to have made it bigger/more cohesive, but i struggle writing any longer fics.  
> Thank you for reading though <3


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